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Life in Jalan Kayu and Seletar Base in the 1960s

010: The carpenters of Seletar Yacht Club. These skilled men built the club's sailing boats. Beautiful work they did too in semi-open and primitive conditions. Always busy repairing broken masts and other damage. Front left was called Zanie and front right was Omar. We called them all "chippies" (RAF slang for carpenters)

011: One of the launches of Seletar's Marine Craft Unit. Did target towing work for the Air Force, supply work for Army ouposts and even anti-piracy patrols.

012: In the early 60s there was still much anger about the events of WW2 during the Japanese occupation of Singapore. These posters were part of the campaign protests and calls for compensation from Japan for what had happened "not so long ago". Is the world a kinder place now? Maybe yes, maybe no!!!!!!!!!!!

013: Eight dollars fifty! For my membership of the Yacht Club. For that I got the loan of "my own" boat, the use of bar and restaurant and much else. Life was wonderful. I was a mere corporal too! There was little or no distinction between ranks at the club.

Comments

Anonymous said…

WOW! I really enjoyed all the old pictures and stories of Jalan KAyu.I was born in singapore but long after the WW2. My dad had worked in the Changi prison in the early 70s and I know there were many histories in that area. Your pictures brought a lot of memory from my past... thanks fr the recollection, I enjoyed reading your blog. Thank you sir for this page and your service to SIngapore :)

Thank you so much for this labor of love. I continue to enjoy it along with my family and extended family in Singapore. This is truly a stroll down memory lane for all of us who once lived in Seletar Hills and visited Jalan Kayu most regularly... which is and was an extension of our neighborhood. I have a soft spot for this "enclave" for lack of a better word and in contrast... love it more than any of the "wannabe" ritz of the boisterous places Singapore screams about to the expat community. (I have deliberately not mentioned the names of those deny them from any publicity.) mdr mdr (lol)This is one place with a real local flava!:)

Singapore's last surviving Kampong is but a few kilometres away from Jalan Kayu. the Jalan Kayu Team brings you an exclusive interview with a long-time resident of this last kampong on mainland Singapore. The lady's name is "Chris" as she prefers to be known in this interview.

Q: How long have you been staying in the kampong?A: 34 years

Q: Is the property owned by you or rented from another?A: It is rented. The land is privately owned. The houses though were built by ourselves. So basically we would just rent the land from the owner but the cost of building the house falls onto us.

Q: Does this apply to all the residents or just you?A: All the residents rent the land and build their own houses

Q: What can you tell me about this kampong?A: In the past, about 10 years ago, a big developer made plans to buy over the land. I’m that the land wasn’t sold because if it was then this whole kampong would be gone.